Higher ed likely to retain foreign language requirements

If the state Board of Education passes its current proposal to eliminate foreign language from the state's high school graduation requirements, the answer may very well be, ''No, no, no and no.''

But even as the state board considers demoting the importance of foreign languages so it can add extra requirements in subjects like English and math, University of Georgia admissions officials and the state University System Board of Regents can retain their current admissions policy requiring a minimum of two years of foreign language. And, university officials say they would probably be loath to remove foreign language from admissions requirements.

''I think the university would continue to require the two years, and I think the one thing high school students will find is the foreign language requirement at the schools they apply to will continue,'' said Del Dunn, UGA vice president for instruction.

Nancy McDuff, UGA director of admissions, said that it is difficult to speculate whether a change in state high school policy would precipitate a change in UGA policy, because ''there are a lot of players'' involved.

The Board of Regents sets minimum requirements for the state's 34 institutions of higher education, but individual universities can decide to require more than the board's minimum standard. The individual universities cannot, however, set their minimum standards lower than those delineated by the regents.

''One thing we don't want to happen is to have a discrepancy between expectations for high school graduates and admissions to our colleges and universities,'' said Frank Butler, vice chancellor of the university system.

Butler said the regents have ''somewhat of an open mind to listen to the (state board's) arguments, but most people in higher education feel very strongly about the importance of foreign languages.''

He added that because most states do require their high school graduates to have taken foreign languages along with the core subjects like English, math and science, ''we're having a hard time of understanding why'' the Georgia board is considering such a proposal.

''I just hope we don't do anything that jeopardizes Georgia's economic competition as a state because we've done really well,'' said Butler.

Mark Channell, principal of Oconee County High School, said that regardless of the state board's decision, his school will continue to offer foreign languages and advise its students to enroll in them.

''Our kids are used to taking it here, and their parents expect them to take it,'' he said. ''...If we go and start rolling back the expectations, I think that's sending them the wrong message. I really do.''

McDuff said that if the state board eliminates the foreign language requirement, UGA faculty would have a chance to offer their opinions on whether UGA changes its admissions policy.

Dunn, who stressed the importance of taking foreign languages in order to ''compete in a global economy,'' said that a change in high school requirements could hurt graduates seeking acceptance into colleges.

''If they don't take two years, it would freeze them out of a lot of schools they might otherwise be interested in,'' Dunn said.